Perspiration guard for watches



Jan. 9, 1945. M. BLOTH PERSPIRATION GUARD FOR WATCHES Filed June 24, 1943 F'rc.1

FIG. 3

[0 Vemor MAURICE BLoTH Patented Jan. 9, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERSPIRATION GUARD FOR WATCHES Maurice Bloth, St. Louis, Mo. Application June 24, 1943, Serial No. 492,087

4 Claims. (Cl. 58-105) This invention relates generally to watch guards and more particularly to a guard that will protect both the watch and the wearer's skin from any injury caused by perspiration.

Among the important objects of my invention are the production of such a device that will be neat and attractive in appearance, be inconspicuous so as'to be in harmony with the general design and shape of the watch and not detract from the attractiveness of the latter, is of light weight so as to be hardly noticeable by the wearer, and is otherwise satisfactory and eificient for use wherever deemed applicable.

Further objects of this invention are to so construct a device of the kind described, that it may be easily and simply stamped from a single piece of material that is not affected by the acids and the like of perspiration, and which maybe easily, rapidly and securely mounted in operative position on the watch, and just as readily detached therefrom as desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a winding crown and stem protecting portion on the device, which although serving fully its function to protect said winding means and the skinv immediately thereadjacent, will permit fully winding said watch in the usual manner without removing the device from the watch.

An added object of my invention is to so construct the device of the kind described, that itneed not embrace the watch completely about the periphery of the latter, but upon the contrary, will have but a pair of upstanding flanges standing upwardly from the body of the device, the distance across the upper edges of said flanges being somewhat less than that across the corresponding portions of the watch, so that the insertion of the watch therebetween causes a slight spreading apart of said flanges and a consequent tight and snug engagement of the flanges on the watch to securely retain the guard in operative position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a watch guard of the kind described, wherein any condensation that might possibly form on the watch or on the surfaces of the guard opposed thereto, will drain off rapidly without further ado, an account of the several openings in the sides of the guard.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described, and the uses mentioned, will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, as will be more clearly apparent from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as herein shown and described, and as will be more clearly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters represent like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrist watch upon which my perspiration guardis mounted;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the guard;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view. of the same, as taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Figure 4 is a. fragmentary detail, showing the side flange of the guard snugly embracing the corresponding side of the watch.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, there is shown a wrist watch I, of any suitable size, shape and construction, as for example the generally rectangularly outlined one shown for the sake of simplicity, with the back 2, the peripherally bounding side or end Walls 3'-3 and 4'-4, to the latter pair of winch the usual straps 5 or the like are fastened in the usual manner, and said watch having a winding crown and stem 6 projecting latera ly therefrom.

It has long been recognized that perspiration is injurious to the mechanism of watches,.and wrist watches are especially susceptible to this damage; further, that perspiration :between the watch and the skin of the wearer often causes a rash or other skin irritation or infection to arise thereat, not only when the watch case is of non-precious metal, but sometimes even when it is of gold or silver.

Toovercome such injury to the skin or to the watch, I have provided a guard device, which is adapted to be interposed between the watch and the wearer, and is so light in weight that its additional weight is scarcely noticed by the wearer.

This guard or protector is preferably formed out of a sheet or strip of stainless steel or other inexpensive material that is strong enough to be shaped or stamped to hold the desired shape, and give good service over a number of years without noticeable wear, and above all other things, will be resistant to stains from perspiration and many other injurious substances that might'appear on the arm or wrist of the wearer of the watch, and further, will not in itself cause rash or other infection or irritation to arise on the skin.

This guard, formed of a material embodying the virtues hereinbet'ore set forth, is quite easily stamped into the shape shown, so as to be extremely cheap to manufacture, and requiring a minimum of stock, the same comprising a main or body or base portion 9 conforming to the approximate shape or the back of the watch, or rather of the watch case, to which the guard is to be mounted. so as to engage the back of the watch after the mounting has been accomplished. In addition to the body portion'9, there are a pair of flanges 1-1 struck up from the material of the body, one on each of a pair of opposed sides of the latter, said flanges each extending longitudinally to form the peripheral portion or the guard, and of a contour to conform rather closely to the contour oi the corresponding peripheral portions of the watch case that cooperates therewith.

The flanges have their upper or free edges bent inwardly toward one another, somewhat as shown, so that the distance thereacross at any point is slightly less than the similar distance across the corresponding sides of the watch that is to be embraced within the guard, and whereby the flanges must necessarily be spread apart slightly in order to permit entry of the watch therebetween, the dotted and full-line positions of the flanges in Fig. 3 illustrating final and initial positions of the same.

Obviously, when the watch is received within the device as so formed and roportioned, with the flanges spreading apart to permit such insertion, the latter will resiliently press against the corresponding portions of the watch sides and retain the guard on the watch without need of additional retaining means, although such additional holding means may be added if thought desirable from any standpoint, such as appearance or the like.

In order to more efiectively hold the guard in position on the watch, it is preferred that the height of the flanges being so proportioned as to be at least one-half that of the sides of the watch upon which the guard is to be mounted, and as shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

It is intended to make this guard as serviceable and convenient as possible, andnot interfere with the normal handling and functioning of the watch, and to this end I have designed the stem and crown protecting portion of the guard somewhat differently than the main flanges. A short length of one of the flanges 1-1, is detached at its side edges from the latter, to form the guard portion 8, extending laterally beyond the flange from which it is formed, and it is to be especially noted that this portion 8 is not as high as the flange I, so that although said portion 8 protects against contact between the skin and stem and crown, yet there is suflicient crown periphery exposed for manual actuation by the wearer whenever it is necessary to wind or set the watch, and this is accomplished without removal of the guard from the latter.

Under certain climatic conditions, moisture not due to perspiration dorms on the watch and guard, and my construction provides for continuous and easy removal of such moisture practically as soon as it forms; this being on account of the several openings at the guard pephery to permit or this drainage. There are the two large openings, one at each end of the guard, between the opposed ends or the flanges, and leaving a clear and unobstructed drainage opening therebetween, and the other drainage being had at the two sides of the stern protector portion 8.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction and combination of parts herein shown and employed, or the uses mentioned, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A protector tor a wrist watch, comprising a body engageable with the watch back, flanges struck up from the opposed sides of said body and independently resiliently engageable with the watch sides, and a winding means protector portion struck from said body and of a lesser height than said flanges to permit winding of the watch while the protector is mounted on the watch.

2. A one-piece protector for a wrist watch, comprising a body portion engageable with the watch back, individual flanges struck upon the opposed sides of said body and resiliently engageable with the watch sides, and a winding means protector portion struck up from said body portion and of lesser height than said flanges and free of engagement with said winding means to permit winding of the watch while the protector is mounted in operative position on said watch.

3. A protector for a wrist watch, comprising a body engageable with the watch back, flanges extending upwardly from the opposed sides of said body to substantially enclose the watch sides, and a winding stem and crown protector extending from said body and of lesser height than said flanges to permit winding of the watch while said protector is mounted on the watch.

4. A wrist watch protector, comprising a body portion engageable against the watch back, and a flanged peripheral portion on said body portion to engage a pair of opposed sides of said watch and of a shape to be initially smaller than the watch periphery to require outward springing to receive the watch therebetween, and a winding means protecting ortion of lesser height than said flange portions to permit winding of said watch while the protector is mounted on the watch.

, MAURICE BLOTH. 

